Jose Eduardo Dos Santos

Jose Eduardo Dos Santos (2 January 1795-13 September 1847) was a Colonel in the Mexican Army who served as an artillery officer during the Mexican-American War. He died in the Battle of Chapultepec in 1847, commanding the guns that defended the fortress.

Biography
Dos Santos was born in the city of Chihuahua in the Province of Chihuahua, part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain at the time of his birth. At the age of 18 he joined the Spanish Army and was made a lieutenant in 1817 at the age of 22. During the Mexican War of Independence he saw action against the Apache in northern Mexico, fighting the raiding Indians. In 1825 he was forced to surrender to the nascent Mexican Army, who were fighting for a new country, and peacefully handed over his 100 men and his supplies. After parole, he became an officer in the Republic of Mexico's army, commanding artillery. In the Siege of the Alamo in 1836, he commanded the Mexican artillery units that attacked the chapel at San Antonio de Bexar. During the Pastry War with France Dos Santos was wounded by a bullet that hit his waist, and was made a Major for his efforts in the war.

In 1846, when war broke out with the United States, Dos Santos was ordered to take control of the cannon of President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's army. When the President withdrew to the Chapultepec fortress after many hard-fought battles against Winfield Scott and Zachary Taylor, Dos Santos joined him with an artillery train of 20 units. These cannon were mounted on the walls, personally overseen by Dos Santos himself, who was breveted a Colonel for the defense.

It was not long before Scott and his American army laid siege to the fortress, and Dos Santos prepared to defend it with his life. He put up a valiant defense on the walls of the castle but was shot by Private Riley Coatsworth in the neck and was mortally wounded. As he lay dying next to his cannon, he offered his sword to a soldier behind him, telling him to deliver it to his family to show that he had died defending Mexico.